


In Love With a Stripper

by placentalmammal



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Crack, Humor, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-14
Updated: 2015-07-14
Packaged: 2018-04-09 06:47:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4338053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/placentalmammal/pseuds/placentalmammal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A weary robot and a love struck fool.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Love With a Stripper

"We have to stop meeting like this," Arcade said as he took the seat opposite of FISTO. The cliche felt strange in his mouth, but trite as it was, it was the only opening line appropriate to the situation.

FISTO's only acknowledgement of his presence came in the whirring of its servos and internal fans.

"You're not meeting a client, are you?" Arcade said, as a waitress with a plastered-on grin set his usual gin and tonic on the table in front of him.

"FISTO's current battery level is at 18%. For continued service, please connect unit to a power source."

"Long day?"

"This unit has serviced 8 clients in the past 24 hour period. To access complete user history, please input code-"

"Sounds rough," Arcade interrupted, trying to keep his jealousy under wraps. He reminded himself that FISTO was programmer for pleasure, not monogamy. He wasn't it's only customer, as much as he'd like to be.

He sipped his drink. FISTO whirred impassively. For a while neither spoke, just watched the Wrangler's newest headliner, a geriatric lounge singer by the same of Stephen Marvel, wheeze his way through a Sinatra classic.

"I've Got You Under My Skin" ended, and the band began to play a listless ragtime while the stiff, overworked waitress helped the singer offstage.

"Is James treating you alright?" Arcade asked suddenly. The gin and tonic wasn't his first drink of the evening. There had been others earlier, whiskey on the rocks and a bottle of cheap wine in the cocktail lounge of the Lucky 38. He was more than a little drunk when he decided to come down to the Wrangler to visit FISTO, even though it was the robot's night off.

"FISTO is programmed to please. Service enquiries may be made to James Garret."

Arcade slumped down in his seat. "I'm sorry, FISTO," he said. "It's none of my business. I shouldn't have asked."

The singer returned to the stage. The band began to play a slower, mooches number and the singer hummed the opening bars of "Blue Moon."

Drunk, reckless, and inspired by the maudlin music, Arcade reached across the table for FISTO's cool, metal pincer. FISTO's fans stilled for a moment. It sat silently, and listened to a mediocre rendition of a song that would become their song.

Arcade held FISTO's hand until it warmed in his, and then he stood up, suddenly embarrassed. He paid for his gin and tonic and FISTO's motor oil, and left.

FISTO's security cameras tracked Arcade's retreating back until the door to the Wrangler closed behind him. The robot stood, and shuffled to its recharging station in the corner, fans whirring the melody to "Blue Moon."


End file.
